Fold-up basketball goal



March 1968 J. w. EBSTEIN 3,375,004

FOLD-UP BASKETBALL GOAL Filed Dec. 15, 1965 INVENTOR. JOHN W EBSTE/N BY E A Tram/tr:

ited States Patent Office 3,375,004 Patented Mar. 26, 1968 3,375,004 FfllLD-UP BASKETBALL GOAL John W. Einstein, Roslyn Heights, N.Y., assignor to Gabriel Industries, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 514,014 11 Claims. (Cl. 273-15) The present invention is directed to goals for basketball, and more particularly to a structure which may be folded into a compact package for storage or shipment to the user.

In the prior art, a structure had been proposed which permitted the goal, while fixed on the backboard, to be hinged into such a position that the basket may be folded against the backboard. Another prior structure was intended to be attached to the ceiling of a basketball court by means of links, the purpose being to enable the entire assembly, including the backboard, to be adjusted as to the height above the floor. Neither of these structures was intended to nor was it capable of accomplishing the purposes of the present invention.

According to the present invention, there is provided a pair of spaced brackets which are attached to the backboard by screws or the like. Each bracket has fixed at the top thereof a horizontal tubular member and, preferably, said tube is integral with the brackets and formed from a single sheet of metal. A U-shaped rod has its legs passing through the tubular members, the base of said rod being adjacent to the backboard. The hoop carrying'the basket is secured to the ends of the legs by suitable means. The brackets may be rotated to lie flat, whereby a relatively thin flat package is obtained, which may be shipped conveniently and economically.

The invention is more fully described in conjunction with the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof, in which like reference characters indicate like parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a fold-up basketball goal in place on the usual backboard and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of one of the bracket members serving to support the basket;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational View taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1 omitting a showing of the backboard.

The basis of the structure is a pair of spaced brackets 1 triangular in shape, having a horizontal upper edge 2, a side edge 3 at right angles thereto, and a connecting leg 4 completing the triangle. A flange 5 is integral with bracket 1 and is bent at an angle thereto. A pair of spaced holes 6 at the upper and lower portions of flange 5 serve as means for attaching the brackets to a baseboard. The upper edge 7 of member 2 is curled on itself as shown particularly in FIG. 3, with the extreme end 8 thereof permanently secured to element 2. The tube 7 thus formed terminates as shown at 9 short of baseboard 11. A U- shaped bar, rod or the like 10 has a straight base which is adapted to be held in contact with the front face of baseboard 11. Diverging legs 12 and 13 thereof pass through tubes 7 and embrace the inner portion of hoop 14 on which basket 15 is secured. Suitable means, not shown, are provided for this purpose. The extreme ends 16 and 17 of legs 12 and 13 are aflixed to the underside of hoop 14. In the preferred embodiment of the inven tion, the angle of legs 12 and 13 to :a line normal to the front face of backboard 11 is 27.5

In providing the set-up, an assembly is made of the brackets 1 and the U-shaped member 10-12-13 and it is secured to baseboard 11 by screws 6. This provides a firm support and the presence of flange 4' insures against distortion when a load is placed on the structure. A stiffener plate 18 is welded at 19 to ring 14 and at 20 to bar 10. The structure is simple and there is no danger of accidentally displacing any of the several elements of the structure.

In order to fold the structure into an inoperative position, for various purposes, such as for storing, packing, or shipping, brackets 1 are swung about their respective rods 12 and 13, and folded outwardly. When it is desired to place the structure in operative position, it is merely necessary to pivot the brackets into their original position, place them against the backboard and drive in the screws.

What is claimed is:

1. A basketball goal comprising a pair of vertical spaced brackets, means for attaching the same to a backboard, a substantially horizontal tubular member along the top of each bracket, a substantially U-shaped rod held in said tubular members, and a hoop secured to the ends of said rod.

2. A basketball goal according to claim 1 in which a longitudinal flange along one edge of said brackets constitutes said attaching means.

3. A basketball goal according to claim 1 in which said brackets are triangular.

4. A basketball goal according to claim 1 in which the base of said U-shaped member is straight and is adjacent said backboard.

5. A basketball goal according to claim 1 in which the base of said U-shaped member is straight and is adjacent the backboard and the legs thereof are divergent.

6. A basketball goal according to claim 1 in which the base of said U-shaped member is straight and is adjacent said backboard and the legs thereof are divergent, the angle between said legs and a line normal to said backboard being about 27.5

7. A basketball goal according to claim 2 in which said flanges extend beyond the ends of said tubular members.

8. A basket-ball goal according to claim 1 in which said tubular members extend inwardly from said brackets fac ing each other.

'9. A basketball goal according to claim 2 in which said tubular members are above the top edge of said flanges.

10. A basketball goal according to claim 2 in which said brackets are triangular, the base of said U-shaped members is straight and is adjacent said backboard, the legs of said members are divergent, said flanges extend beyond the ends of said tubular members, said tubular members extend inwardly facing each other, the angle between said legs and a line normal to said backboard being about 27.5 said tubular members being above the top edge of said flanges.

11. A basketball goal according to claim 1 in which sail brackets are foldable by rotation thereof about said ro s.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,583,011 5/1926 Roe 273-15 1,614,970 l/ 1927 Sandberg 273-15 2,596,543 5/1952 Fox 273-15 3,161,973 12/1964 Hastings 248-201 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. P. E. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,375,004

March 16, 1968 John W. Ebstein It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below: In the heading to the printed specification, line 5, "New York should read Delaware Signed and sealed this 14th day of April 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER,'JR.

Attesting Officer 

1. A BASKETBALL GOAL COMPRISING A PAIR OF VERTICAL SPACED BRACKETS, MEANS FOR ATTACHING THE SAME TO A BACKBOARD, A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL TUBULAR MEMBER ALONG THE TOP OF EACH BRACKET, A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED ROD HELD IN SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS, AND A HOOP SECURED TO THE ENDS OF SAID ROD. 